Registered Nurse vs Accountant Salary (2026)
Side-by-side salary comparison based on BLS OES data. Updated 2026.
Higher paying occupation
Registered Nurse
$90,458/yr median(+$10,746 · 13.5% more)
Higher pay
Registered Nurse
Median$90,458
Mean$93,431
10th %ile$69,377
25th %ile$79,192
75th %ile$104,665
90th %ile$119,036
Employed3.3M+
Accountant
Median$79,712
Mean$87,756
10th %ile$52,794
25th %ile$64,187
75th %ile$101,940
90th %ile$130,795
Employed1.4M+
Salary Distribution Comparison
Registered Nurse
| Percentile | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $69,377 |
| 25th percentile | $79,192 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $90,458 |
| 75th percentile | $104,665 |
| 90th percentile | $119,036 |
Accountant
| Percentile | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $52,794 |
| 25th percentile | $64,187 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $79,712 |
| 75th percentile | $101,940 |
| 90th percentile | $130,795 |
Top Paying States
Registered Nurse
| # | State | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $140,330 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $136,320 |
| 3 | Oregon | $123,990 |
| 4 | Washington | $112,180 |
| 5 | Alaska | $110,690 |
Accountant
| # | State | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $103,030 |
| 2 | New York | $101,780 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $101,340 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $96,580 |
| 5 | California | $96,360 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which pays more, Registered Nurse or Accountant?
- Registered Nurse pays more with a median salary of $90,458/year, which is 13.5% more than Accountant at $79,712/year.
- What is the salary difference between Registered Nurse and Accountant?
- The median salary difference is $10,746/year (13.5%).